Characterization of the working parameters of a long-wavelength VCSEL

摘要

We report on measurements of the working parameters of a 1550-nm single-transverse mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), including those that describe the polarization behavior of the device. Simple expressions for the laser linewidth and laser power as a function of the bias current are used in a first stage. High resolution CW optical spectrum and intensity noise spectrum measurements are performed to apply this technique. Current-induced polarization switching (PS) is observed in our device when increasing the bias current, from the higher to the lower frequency polarization mode. A minimum in the absolute value of the effective dichroism is observed at the PS point. The value of the effective birefringence has a discontinuity at the current at which PS is observed. PS characteristics are used for the extraction of the parameters describing the polarization behavior of the VCSEL.